Judge orders Hastert filing unsealed, alleged sex abuse victim to testify
A judge on Wednesday ordered that the recent filing on former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) be unsealed, according to The Chicago Sun-Times.
The announcement was made at a hearing to decide whether the document in the case should remain sealed, the paper reported.
{mosads}The federal judge in the hush money case said he plans to take into account the fact that Hastert lied to authorities about being extorted about false claims of sexual abuse decades ago, The Chicago Tribune reported.
“That’s not conduct that’s 40 years old. That’s conduct that’s a year old,” U.S. District Court Judge Thomas M. Durkin said at the hearing, according to the Tribune. “Among the aggravating factors in this case, that’s a big one.”
Federal prosecutors also said that at Hastert’s April 27 sentencing, a woman who says her brother was sexually abused by the former teacher and wrestling coach will testify, as well as another alleged victim, known as “Individual D,” according to the Sun-Times.
Earlier this month, prosecutors working Hastert’s case said in new court filings he had molested at least four boys as young as 14.
The alleged abuse happened when Hastert was working as a high school teacher and wrestling coach in Illinois.
The allegations come after Hastert’s federal banking crimes case, where he was accused of agreeing to pay $3.5 million to cover up wrongdoing. Hastert had pleaded guilty to breaking breaking bank laws.
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